Parkhurst Boys Enquiry

From: Tony C
To: Jan
Subject: “The Parkhurst Boys”

Hello Jan,

I was reading through the website and in a series of correspondence you had entitled “Firth’s Enquiry” mention was made of two Parkhurst Boys, Joseph WILLIAMS and Fredrick DAWES (changed his name to WILLIAMS).

My interest is that I am a mature Postgraduate at Southampton Unioversity here in the UK researching for a PhD on “The Parkhurst Boys”, essentially attempting to write Biographies (life histories) for as many as I can. Tracing the 123 who landed in Auckland in 1842 and 1843 aboard the “St George” and the “Mandarin” has been extremely difficult and the two mentioned are ones that who “vanish” so to speak after they arrived.

I wonder if there is any possible way you can help, either from your own knowledge or people you are in contact with who are interested. I have tried so many avenues in NZ, sadly with little success.

My regards

Tony C

From: Jan
To: Tony C
Subject: “The Parkhurst Boys”

Hi Tony,

Unfortunately I know very little about the Parkhurst boys. I didn’t know of their existence until Kerry emailed me about trying to trace his family roots… But he did have some documentation which he got from somewhere so I’ve emailed your enquiry on to him.

I think its very sad that these boys were uprooted from their families and sent away to live in some far-away land… especially when it sounds like many of them were not hardened criminals at all but maybe only slightly gone astray youths – but perhaps many of them did have the opportunity to make a new start and begin a life over in New Zealand without their past deeds hanging over their heads.

Anyway as I said I’ve forwarded you email to Kerry and I know that he was due to go to England around about now so I don’t know if he’ll be checking his emails while he’s away or not. So you may have to wait until he gets back.

It’s fairly amazing how the internet opens up these avenues for historical research.
My website is fairly insignificant when it comes to the scheme of things -being mostly to document little bit of history from my town and the people who have lived here – but I have found it interesting that people from the other side of the world often have enquiries about an ancestor which sometimes can lead to intersting results… it also brought Kerry here in New Zealand(a Firth Descendant) in touch with two distant cousins over there in England.

I hope Kerry can help you – But if you like I will add your request to the website and we’ll see if anyone else out there responds and can help you out??? Let me know if you want this and I’ll put it on – sometimes we get a response and other times not but I think it’s worth a shot.

Regards
Jan

From: Evelyn
To: Jan
Subject: “The Parkhurst Boys”

I would like to contact your enquirer re the Parkhurst Boys as I have an interest in 2 brothers that arrived on the St George in 1842.
Thank you for any help you can give me.

From: Jan
To: Evelyn
Subject: “The Parkhurst Boys”

Hi Evelyn,
I was contacted about the Parkhurst boys about this time last year so I’ll send you Tony’s email address as it was last time I emailed him (which hasn’t been for a while so hopefully it hasn’t changed). IF you have any information you would like me to add to the Parkhurst enquiry I would be happy to do so as it sometimes catches the eye of someone else who may have information… and so there’s the potential for someone else to add what they know…. which may spark off someone else with more information. I have found that with some enquiries nothing happens for a while then out of the blue someone comes up with something else.
Anyway here’s Tony’s email address (email address supplied)

Good hunting
Jan

From: Evelyn
To: Jan
Subject: “The Parkhurst Boys”

Thanks Jan for the prompt reply unfortunately he no longer has a yahoo account as my letter was returned. The boys I was interested in were the two King brothers George and Thomas that arrived in 1842 aboard the St George but I don’t have any info on them apart from their birthdates and parents’ names.
Thank you Evelyn

From: Tony C
To: Jan
Subject: “The Parkhurst Boys”

Hello Jan,

Good to hear from you……. I hope you are keeping well. At least you have the summer to enjoy whilst we appear to be moving into a long and extremely cold winter. Even a “White Christmas” possibly!!

Thank you for passing on the contact with Evelyn. I can only imagine she input my email address incorrectly but, as a failsafe in future, this alternative address is available:

(email address supplied)

I do have some information on George and Thomas KING, although I have not made their connection as brothers because they were already imprisoned when the 1841 England Census was conducted and that genealogy is denied me. Also the fact they were not partners-in-crime, having committed separate offences. I have documented them both up to 1843 through records maintained by Archives NZ, but from that point onwards the trail is absolutely cold.

I shall be delighted if Evelyn can contact me on either address and will happily pass on all the information I have, including some limited trial details from the Old Bailey.

For now, take care,

Tony

From: Jan
To: Tony C
Subject: “The Parkhurst Boys”

Hi Tony,
Yes we’re having a VERY hot and dry summer, and Hawkes Bay is already in the early stages of having a drounght – being the driest spring we’ve had for nearly a hundred years. We’re look forward to a sunny Christmas though and probably we’ll be out to the beach and swimming trying to keep cool.

It sounds like you have a bit of information that Evelyn doesn’t know, so I’m sure she’ll be very happy to hear from you… and I would love to put your info on the website too – as it might attract someone else who has ancestors or an interest in this part of our history and it sounds really interesting.
Its funny how things can sound interesting a generation or too down the track. I wonder if people will find our little contributions to the fabric history as interesting after we’ve gone?

I’ll send you’re email to Evelyn and hopefully you two can make contact.

Thanks for your help
Jan

From: Tony C
To: Jan
Subject: “The Parkhurst Boys”

Good Morning Jan,

Sadly Evelyn has not contacted me…….possibly she is still having difficulty with my email addresses.

In the meantime you may like to read the partial Biographies for Thomas and George KING. Thomas especially did not necessarily have an auspicious start to his NZ sojourn and it would really be interesting to uncover his continuing life story. He probably became a pillar of both society and the church. A not uncommon occurrence with quite a few of the Parkhurst Boys. The one drawback in researching them is that KING is a popular name, as are the christian names, and the NZ Birth, Death and Marriage records are not readily accessible from the UK.

For the moment,

Tony

KING, George

Convicted: Central Criminal Court (Old Bailey)
Date: 10/08/1838
Age: 17
Occupation: None
Offence: Larceny as a Servant
Sentence: Transportation 7 years
Classification:

George King was born c1831 probably in London.

Nothing else is known of his early life history until he was committed to appear at the Central Criminal Court (Old Bailey) on 10/08/1838 accused of Larceny, found guilty and sentenced to 7 years transportation. Then aged 17 the Court did not report that he had any occupation.(A transcript of his trial proceedings is contained in the Appendix). He was initially received on the York Hulk, moored at Portsmouth Harbour, as part of the interim holding arrangements, and then transferred to Parkhurst Prison on 26/12/1838. He was, in fact, one of the original 102 juvenile offenders received at Parkhurst Prison when the institution was officially opened on 26/12/1838. His Gaoler’s Report commented that his conduct had been good, he was single but could neither read nor write. George King was discharged from Parkhurst Prison on 31/05/1842 for transportation to New Zealand.(i)

He sailed aboard the “St. George” on 31/05/1842 classified as a “Free Immigrant”, eventually disembarking at Auckland on 25/11/1842. As a Free Immigrant he was virtually under no restraints, except forbidden to return to England until free by servitude, that is, on or after 10/08/1845.(ii) In Auckland he was initially “supervised” by David Rough, Immigrant Agent and Harbour Master and presumably it was with Rough’s help that he obtained an early position as a Surveying Labourer with J.P.de Moulin at £14 per annum.(iii) Later, David Rough published a “Return for the Half year ending the 30th June 1843 of free immigrant Boys from Parkhurst” in which George King is shown as being employed at the Bay Islands as a Servant (Employer unknown), with his conduct being described as “Very steady”.(iv)

No further details for George King have been retrieved.

Comment:

Notes:

(i): Parkhurst Prison Register, The National Archives, HO24/15, p.1.

(ii): Website Convicts to Australia which deals with the voyage of the St. George to New
Zealand http://members.iinet.net.au/~perthdps/convicts/park1.html

(iii): Archives New Zealand, Internal Affairs, Series I, 43/274.

(iv): ANZ, 44/871.

Acknowledgement:
© B.A. Cocks
12/12/2008
Hampshire SO53 1FN, UK

APPENDIX
GEORGE KING was indicted for stealing, on 10th May, part of an opera-glass, value 6d.; and 1 padlock, value 6d.; the goods of John Lowe; and 6 handkerchiefs, value 16s.; 9 yards of lace, value £1.; 1 shawl, value 5s.; 36 buttons, value 2s.; and 12 yards of silk, value £1.; the goods of John Lowe and another, his masters: and SARAH KING, for feloniously receiving the same , well knowing them to have been stolen; against the Statute, etc.; to which they both pleaded.GUILTY – Transported for Seven Years

Old Bailey Proceedings Online (www.oldbaileyonline.org 12/12/2008), August 1838, trial of Thomas King, Sarah King (t18380820-2049)
KING, Thomas

Convicted: Central Criminal Court (Old Bailey)
Date: 31/12/1838
Age: 13
Occupation: Milk Boy
Offence: Larceny
Sentence: Transportation 7 years
Classification:

Thomas King was born c1825 probably in London.

Nothing else is known of his early life history until he was committed to appear at the Central Criminal Court (Old Bailey) on 31/12/1838 accused of Larceny, found guilty and sentenced to 7 years transportation. Then aged 13 he had been employed as a Milk Boy (A transcript of his trial proceedings is contained in the Appendix). He was initially received on the “York” Hulk, moored at Portsmouth Harbour, as part of the interim holding arrangements, and then transferred to Parkhurst Prison on 05/08/1839. His Gaoler’s Report had no comments to make about his character or disposition, other than remark that he was single and could read but not write. Thomas King was discharged from Parkhurst Prison on 31/05/1842 for transportation to New Zealand.(i)

He sailed aboard the “St. George” on 31/05/1842 classified as an “Apprentice”, having been taught the shoemaking trade in Parkhurst, and eventually disembarked at Auckland on 25/11/1842.(ii) Here he came under the Guardianship of David Rough, Immigrant Agent and Harbour Master of Auckland. The following extracts are from subsequent correspondence and reports prepared by David Rough concerning Thomas King:

(a): Letter addressed to the Colonial Secretary dated 16/11/1842:

Acting Guardian of Immigrant Boys
Particulars regarding apprenticing boys for approval

Auckland, November 16th 1842

Sir,
We have the honour of submitting to you, for his Excellency’s
approval, the accompanying particulars necessary for filling up the
Indentures of eight boys who have been permitted to enter the service
of their masters provisionally, and have to request that blank copies
of the Indentures may be sent to the Acting Guardian for the purposes
of being filled up and executed, or that they may be prepared in any
other way of which his Excellency may approve. It may perhaps be
necessary that his Excellency should depute some person to sign the
“approval” at the foot of the Indenture or authorize the Acting Guardian
to do so in his name. Three copies of each Indenture will be required
for each boy – one (the original) to remain in the hands of the Guardian
– one to be delivered to the master, and a third (Rule 25, Government
Gazette) to be forwarded to the Magistrate of the District in which the
boy is apprenticed.

We have the honour to be
Sir,
your most obedient servants

(Sgd) David Rough
(Sgd) Benjamin J. Horne
To
The Honourable
The Colonial Secretary

List of Boys to be apprenticed – Indentures to bear the
date of November 11th 1842
(inter alia)
2. Thomas King as general servant (chiefly farm work) to Mr. John
Harris, Steward to S. Kempthorne, Esq., Auckland, for 4 years,
£1 the first year, £2 the second, £3 the third, and £6 the fourth.

The Colonial Secretary gave his approval on 17/11/1842 and the following
annotation appears in the margin of David Rough’s letter:

Approved, depute Mr. Horne to execute the indenture, which, when
executed, to be then recorded in the Colonial Secretary’s office, the
duplicate to be given to the Master, and the triplicate to be forwarded
for the purpose of being placed in the hands of the Police Magistrate.

NB: Benjamin J. Horne had been selected by the Parkhurst
Prison Visitors, effectively the Board of Directors, to
accompany the boys to New Zealand as their guardian.(iii)

(b): On the 29/12/1842 David Rough prepared a Return for the Colonial Secretary
detailing the disposal of all the Apprentices aboard the “St. George”, which, inter
alia, confirms Thomas King’s Indentureship from 11/11/1842:

List of Apprentices from Parkhurst 29th December 1842

Names of Boys: Thomas King
Names of Masters: John Harris
Employments of the Boys: Farming
Date of Indenture: November 11th
Terms of Apprenticeship: 4 years
Remuneration: 1st Year £1, 2nd Year £2, 3rd Year £3,
4th Year £6.
Residence: Tamaki (iv)

(c): Felton Mathew the Chief Police Magistrate of Auckland issued a Return for the
immediate 6 months after the Parkhurst Boys arrival on the “St. George” which
details their “re-offending” and is entitled “Return of all the Charges preferred
before the Chief Police Magistrate against Parkhurst Boys from the 24th of
November 1842 (the date of their arrival) to the 12th April 1843 inclusively”.
There are several entries for Thomas King but, unfortunately, no dates by which to
identify the chronology:

(1) Name: Thomas King
Age: 16
Offence: Absconding, having been absent four days
Sentence: Thirty days hard labour
Remarks: An Apprentice

(2) Name: Thomas King
Age: 16
Offence: Gross misconduct while under former sentence
Sentence: Fourteen days additional sentence
Remarks: An Apprentice

(3) Name: Thomas King (inter alia)
Age: 16
Offence: Fighting
Sentence: Case dismissed as frivolous
Remarks: the charge was preferred by a Gaoler the said Boys
being under his charge on Summary Conviction at
the time

(4) Name: Thomas King (inter alia)
Age: 16
Offence: Robbery
Sentence: Case dismissed for want of sufficient evidence
Remarks: An Apprentice (v)

(d): In early 1843 there was apparently an exchange of correspondence between the
Colonial Secretary and David Rough concerning Thomas King’s behaviour as an
indentured servant but, unfortunately, only one letter in the sequence dated
29/04/1843 has been retrievable:

Guardian of Boys respecting disposal of rejected apprentices

Immigration Office
Auckland 29 April 1843

Sir,
With reference to your letter of the 4th Inst. conveying His Excellency’s
instructions for me to apply to the Police Magistrate in the case of Mr. Harris
who refused to receive the Parkhurst Apprentice Thomas King back into his
service after he had been punished for absconding and disobedient conduct.
I do myself the honour to state for His Excellency’s information that the
above named apprentice was taken back by his Master, but is now the third
time undergoing confinement with hard labour for the same offence, and Mr.
Harris has declared that he will not again receive him. I have corresponded
with the Chief Police Magistrate on the subject, and that gentleman informs
me that he does not consider himself empowered to oblige masters to take
back apprentices in such circumstances.
I have therefore the honour to request that I may be further instructed
regarding this and such like cases which may arise in the future.

I have the honour
Sir
Your most obedient servant

(Sgd) D. Rough
Guardian (vi)

NB: David Rough comments that Thomas King had absconded three
times, yet Felton Mathew’s earlier return only mentions one
such case.

(e) Several months later at the 30/06/1843 David Rough prepared a progress report on
the current status of the Parkhurst Boys and against that section entitled “Return for
the Half year ending 30th June 1843 of Apprentices whose conduct has not been
satisfactory ” the entry for Thomas King, inter alia, reads:

Name: Thomas King
Age: 16
Remarks: Convicted of absconding and idleness (vii)

No further information about Thomas King’s life in New Zealand has been retrieved.

Comment:

Notes:

(i): Parkhurst Prison Register, The National Archives, HO24/15, p.7.

(ii): Paul Buddee, Fate of the Artful Dodger Parkhurst Boys Transported to Australia
and New Zealand 1842-1852, Perth, Western Australia, (1984), p.165. See also the
website Convicts to Australia which deals with the voyage of the St. George to New
Zealand http://members.iinet.net.au/~perthdps/convicts/park1.html

(iii): Archives New Zealand, Internal Affairs, Series I, 42/1996.

(iv): ANZ, 43/274.

(v): ANZ, 43/967.

(vi): ANZ, 43/829.

(vii): ANZ, 44/871.

Acknowledgement:

APPENDIX
THOMAS KING was indicted for stealing, on the 24th December, 3 _ lbs weight of beef, value 1s.6d., the goods of John Wells.

THOMAS SPEAKE. I am servant to John Wells, a butcher. On the 24th of December, about a quarter before 11 o’clock at night, while serving a customer, I saw the prisoner looking me full in the face – a policeman afterwards brought him in with the beef, and asked if I had missed anything – I claimed the beef directly – it weighed 3 _ lbs – I had cut it off not a quarter of an hour before – I never saw the prisoner before.

JOHN HALLAM. I am an officer. I saw the prisoner standing about the shop, about a quarter to eleven o’clock, with two more – I told him to go home – in about a quarter of an hour I saw them run away – I cannot say which took it – I took the prisoner with the beef in a basket – I asked him what he was doing with it – he said he was going to take it to a customer for his master, who lived in Newport-market – I took him back to the shop – he said at the station-house, that two boys chucked it into his basket, and ran away.

GUILTY. Aged 12 – Judgement respited (The court sometimes decided to postpone or respite a sentence until a later sessions, either because of the convict’s pregnancy or for reasons that were unrecorded.). A record of the eventual judgement of “Transported for Seven Years” as detailed in the Parkhurst Prison Register has not been retrieved from subsequent proceedings of the Old Bailey.

Old Bailey Proceedings Online (www.oldbaileyonline.org 12/12/2008), December 1838, trial of Thomas King (t18381231

From: Jan
To: Evelyn
Subject: “The Parkhurst Boys”

Hi Evelyn,

I’ve had Tony email me and he has a little information about the misdeeds George and Thomas did when they were young to be sent to NZ. They seem fairly minor petty crimes to be deported to New Zealand.

Tony has been doing a thesis on the Parkhurst boys and he would really appreciate any information you can give as to their birthdates, parents etc… and even what they went on to do in New Zealand (as his access to New Zealand records from England is difficult and often family have more information even if it is by word of mouth)

So please either email him with any little bits of info you have, or email it to me and I can forward it to Tony for you.

Sounds like they had really tough sentences in those days.- We wouldn’t deport someone for stealing 3 1/2 pounds of beef!

Love to hear from you
Jan

From: Andrea
To: Jan
Subject: Thomas and George King

Kia ora Jan,

My name is Andrea Moon, and my partner is Jason King, a descendant of both Thomas Robert and George Fulcher Twyford King.

His relation, Evelyn, had, earlier on, been in contact with you regarding the King boys; their older brother, William Deacon King married twice. His first wife and family are, sadly, unknown to us, his second wife was Hera Maringi Pumipi. He was known as ‘Captain King’; was 31 when he married Hera. She was 17. We have no idea how he came to live in New Zealand or how he managed to end up in a village in remote New Zealand. (It’s still a village, and it’s still very remote 🙂 !)

We have been trying to locate any remnant of William Deacon King’s family for quite some time and have, til Evelyn’s findings, had no luck.

Their father’s name was Henry King, their mother’s name was Anne, but we are unsure of her maiden name. We know they died in Maidstone, Kent (?), but again, this could be pure speculation. All of the King children; Henry James, William Deacon, Thomas Robert Alexander, Geaore Fulcher Twyford, Anne Harriet, Charles Francis, and Thomas Robert (yes, there were two) were all christened at St. Pauls Church, Deptford, London, but again, we have nothing else.

If any info can be found on their decendants via you or your connections, we would be so very grateful.

Nāku noa,
Nā,

Andrea.

From: Jan
To: Andrea
Subject: Thomas and George King

Hi Andrea,
Its a bit tricky to know where to start. Sounds like you’ve got quite a task ahead of you.
But I’ll try to help in my own little way and get your request posted on the website – hopefully this weekend. Hopefully someone will see it and get in touch with you.

Finger crossed
🙂 Jan

From: Andrea
To: Jan
Subject: Thomas and George King

Wow, how awesome are you!! Thank you in advance for any help. And yes .. a seriously huge task alright! William Deacon and Hera Maringi alone had five or six children. My third eldest son is named after him … as are about another nine or ten others throughout the family; so there are many people in our neck of the woods all looking and wondering whether anything will come of their searches. It’s seriously draining, but will be worth it in the end :).

I must correct an error I made with the the boys’ sister. Her name was Sarah Anne Harriet, not Anne Harriet. Whoops! I saw mention of her on the correspondence you had via ‘Tony’.

It’s so strange that these young kids had no older influence, or guidance from either parents or extended family, and that they all seemed to end up as they had. So sad! So many questions!! And I’m just an in-law!! Haha!

There is a young woman in the UK looking for descendants of a Henry James King .. I think she maybe a descendant of the same family .. I’m going to stalk her later and find out. Well, “stalk” is a bit strong, but you know what I mean.

Have put your website on my ‘favourites’ and am crossing anything and everything possible that can be crossed

Lookin forward to hearing from you and … anyone!

A 🙂

From: Jan
To: Andrea
Subject: Thomas and George King

Hi again Andrea,
Sorry I didn’t get it posted on the website this weekend. I was flat out with our historic walks for Waipawa’s 150th celebrations and the rest of the weekend I was entertaining some visitors from China – who have no English , and I have no Mandarin – so it was an interesting time. They are leaving sometime today – so when I have a free time I’ll get it posted – or more correctly ask my son to post it – since he’s my website administrator (and its his parents in law that I’ve been entertaining this weekend).

The Tony you talked about is a man over in England doing a doctorate or something on the Parkhurst boys. He was very interested in getting in touch with the person who had the original enquiry but she didn’t answer his emails – which was a pity because he was trying to gather and share as much information as he could on the Parkhurst boys. – and the King boys were among those.

It is incredible that these boys got sent way over to the other side of the world for a crime which was usually pretty minor – certainly wouldn’t get that sort of punishment now-a-days… And actually some of these things which happened a long time ago make your family tree seem much more interesting.(Its not like they were mass murderers or violent, hardened criminals).

Anyway I’d better go and say goodbye to my Chinese guests and get myself off to school.

I’ll be in touch if anything comes to light.

🙂 Jan

From: Jan
To: Tony
Subject: Thomas and George King

Hi Tony,

I don’t know if this is still your email address – or if you’re still researching the Parkhurst boys, but I had this email last weekend and it could be the same boys as you were researching???? Big question mark, I know… They have the same names, but it is a pretty common name so may not be anything at all related to your Thomas and George King.

But then they just might be???? And it could answer a few questions as to what happened to the boys after they came to New Zealand – that is, if they are the same King boys as the ones you were trying to track.

It’s intriguing.

🙂 Jan

From: Tony
To: Jan
Subject: Thomas and George King

Hello Jan,

I hope you are keeping well.

My search for the Parkhurst Boys goes on and, unfortunately, so does my lack of success in unearthing the 123 who were sent to Auckland. Any “lead”, no matter how small, is always worth investigating. Possibly, the best approach for Andrea would be to contact me via this address and give me some pointers as to who she thinks Thomas and George KING are and we can develop from there.

For the moment, take care,

Tony

From: Jan
To: Andrea
Subject: Thomas and George King

Hi Andrea,

I haven’t forgotten your enquiry.
Last night I forwarded your email onto Tony who has been researching the Parkhurst boys – thinking that he might be able to help you as Thomas and George King were the names of a couple of the boys sent over to New Zealand as ‘apprentices’ to pay for their misdeeds back in England.
I think Tony would like you to email him with as much detail as you can about what you have found out about your King boys so he can try and unravel clues to see if they are the same individuals as the ones he’s studying.

His email is (email address supplied)
Please let me know how you get on and I will add it to your enquiry on the website.

🙂 Jan

From: Rose
To: Jan
Subject: Parkhurst Boys

Dear Jan

I came upon your website in a roundabout way (as you do) and found it a really delightful site. How marvellous that you still live in the old family home after so many generations. I was looking for a “Visitor’s Book” page to leave a friendly comment, when I saw amongst your email enquiries… “Parkhurst Boys”.
Many years ago when I was “doing” my family history, I did some research about the Parkhurst Boys because one of them had my family name of “Lay”.

I thought I would reply to the post about the Parkhurst Boys on your website, but there is no date – is Tony in the UK still interested do you know? If so, I could maybe be of some help to them.

Congratulations again on your excellent website, well done

Best wishes

Rose Chapman

From: Jan
To: Rose
Subject: Parkhurst Boys

I’m glad you enjoyed the website – Unfortunately I haven’t had my son put in a comments page on the website – but it is nice to get positive feedback.

Its funny how some enquiries about families can go for months and months without any more information coming to light and then suddenly someone else somehow connected, emails a little more info.

I think the Parkhurst boys enquiry was really interesting when it first came to light as an enquiry on my website – its quite sad to think of these boys being sent so far away for what seem like very minor offences.
Unfortunately not much has come to light about these boys. Maybe their descendants are unaware of their ancestor’s past, or maybe they want to keep it firmly shut in the closet where no one will know – although now-a-days its not such a frowned upon thing and its quite interesting finding a piece of family history with a bit of a story behind it.

But it would be interesting to find out a little more.

Did you find out whether one of the boys was part of your family history? Or am I being too nosy?

Anyway I am sure Tony would love to hear from you… I haven’t emailed him for a few months so I don’t know whether his email address has changed or not – but we’ll have a go and see.

His email address is (email address supplied)

Please let me know how it turns out.

🙂 Jan

From: Rose
To: Jan
Subject: Parkhurst Boys

Hi Jan

Sunday afternoon is a good time for fossicking about on the internet, isn’t it! I am no longer researching my own family tree, but spend a lot of time hunting up info about Duart House and the family who built it, the McLeans. You are right when you say genealogy is a long-term interest – I think that’s part of its fascination.

My Parkhurst stuff is packed away in a big box in my sister’s garage and has been there about 8 years. Despite living in a big old historic house (as caretaker) I don’t have much storage space.

I can’t remember now if the “convict” lad turned out to be one of ours or not, but I will go searching amongst all my old papers. I will pass on anything I have about the Parkhurst Boys to Tony, and keep you informed too.

Of course I don’t mind you asking… I was thrilled to find I did have 2 convicts on my tree – she was transported to Australia for stealing a shaw in the market, he was sent off for 14 years for stealing a box of buttons!! Of course it wasn’t really about the seriousness of the crime, it was more about getting rid of a whole lot of “The Poor” from England after changes in agriculture and industry made them surplus to requirements.

I mean to come and spend a day at CHB Museum on of these days – I have been before but only briefly. It is definately a hidden gem, and congratulations for your part in getting it to look so good.

Best wishes
Rose

From: Rose
To: Jan
Subject: Parkhurst Boys

Hi Rose,

I know what you mean about storage. I live in an old house too – maybe not as big and grand as Duart house – but its very special to me and my family as its been in our family for the last 120 years (since it was built). Storage is terrible! No cupboards anywhere & only a few free standing wardrobes which don’t fit things in very well at all.

A lot of people comment about our house being big – but we have the same problem about where to store stuff as it sounds you have – its especialy big problem when my husband ‘collects’ stuff and doesn’t like to throw anything away. I sometimes have to be sneaky and do discreet little clean outs.

I can’t remember Duart house having that problem when I took part in an sculpture exhibition up there a few years back. The house is beautiful and the garden magnificient! You’re so lucky to look after it.

I feel in a way that’s what Murray and I are doing with our house – caretaking it for the future (although it is a family home too and old houses cost a fortune to keep maintained) we have a family reunion next year and our house is on the programme as somewhere for the hundreds of Bibbys to come for afternoon tea and to look at paintings by my great grandmother (Mary Glover Bibby) who just happened to live in this house and raise her family here – as well as paint and draw.

I hope Tony can help you with your family research. He seemed quite excited that another possible Parkhurst boy descendant has come to light as he has had a lot of difficulty finding out what became of these boys once they got to NZ. He has done a huge amount of research on them for a thesis and has records of some of the court proceedings. The crimes these boys were deported for were extremely minor and I think you’re right, probably a way of emptying out the poor and cleaning up their streets.

Anyway, I’d better get myself ready for school

Take care
🙂 Jan

From: Tony
To: Jan & Rose
Subject: Parkhurst Boys

Hello Jan and Rose,

Yes…the address is current, as is my research, which carries on apace.

Sadly, the “returns” from NZ are still very poor and about 80 of the 123 Parkhurst Boys sent to Auckland in 1842 and 1843 remain unresearched. So, when a new possibility arises I get quite excited. There was a George LAY (aka LAW and JAY) reached Auckland in 1843 aboard the “Mandarin”…….he had been transported as a Free Immigrant, meaning that there were no restictions on his movements, except he could not return to England until after February 1846. He had been convicted at the Central Criminal Court (Old Bailey) in the name of JAY for stealing a kettle valued at 2s:6d. If you can help in any way I would be delighted.

For the moment.

Tony

From: Lynne
To: Jan
Subject: Parkhurst Boys

Hi Jan
I was googling Parkhurst Boys and came across your e-mails to Tony.
My Gt Grandfather was Isaac Burnand who came out on the St George with his brother Thomas. Can you either give me his e-mail address or pass my e-mail onto him. I have quite a bit of info on Isaac. Not sure what happened to Thomas he doesn’t appear in any records that I can fine.

Thanks and regards
Lynne Revell (nee Burnand)

From: Jan
To: Lynne
Subject: Parkhurst Boys

Hi Lynne,

I am sure Tony would love to hear from you and you two can compare notes. I will forward your email to him and hopefully you can fill in some of each others gaps.
I would love to be filled in too and will put what you allow me on the website so that perhaps other Parkhurst descendants will learn from it too.
Do you know what Issac and Thomas were sent away for?
From what I have learnt from Tony many of the boys were sent away for very minor crimes and it seems now-a-days a very severe punishment to send them so far away for things that barely rate in today’s crime scene.

Anyway, I’ll send your email on and, as I said before I’m sure Tony will enjoy comparing notes.

🙂 Jan

From: Jan
To: Tony
Subject: Parkhurst Boys

Hi Tony,

After a very hot summer’s day here in New Zealand I checked my emails and found this one. I thought you might be interested.
I don’t know if you’ve got much further in your research, but this may help?

🙂 Jan

From: Tony
To: Jan and Lynne
Subject: Parkhurst Boys

Hello Jan and Lynne,

Delighted to let you have the accompanying copies of the Biographies for George Isaac BURNAND and Thomas BURNAND. Thomas, unfortunately, remains a mystery as all knowledge of him after he was pardoned seems to have vanished.

Hopefully there is a lot of new information for you, although George Isaac led a very complicated family life…….anything you can add to clarify the proposed marriage to Emily CHITLEY would be interesting. It is also interesting that recognised Genealogists can provide misleading information, for instance, the partnership!!

For the moment

Tony

BURNAND, Isaac
(Later referred to as George Isaac in New Zealand)

Convicted: Northallerton Easter Quarter Sessions
Date: 04/04/1839
Age: 12
Occupation: Errand Boy
Offence: Stealing two watches, two watch chains and two keys
Sentence: Transported for 10 years
Classification: Success (absorbed into colonial society as a free citizen)

Isaac Burnand was born at Whitby, North Yorkshire, on 07/08/1827, the son of Thomas and Elizabeth Burnand and brother to Thomas.(i)

Nothing is known of his childhood and early life until he was committed to appear at the Northallerton Easter Quarter on 08/04/1839 accused of stealing two watches, two watch chains and two keys, to which he pleaded guilty, and was sentenced to transportation for 7 years. He was tried alongside his brother, Thomas, who was accused of receiving these articles. A transcript of the trial proceedings is reproduced below:(ii)

PLEADS GUILTY

Isaac Burnand late of the House of Correction at Northallerton in the
North Riding of the County of York labourer for feloniously stealing
in the Dwellinghouse of one John Hart at the township of Whitby in
the Riding aforesaid on the nineteenth day of February last one Watch,
one Watch chain and one Watch Key the goods and chattels of the said
John Hart
2nd Count – for feloniously stealing on the said nineteenth day of February
at township of Whitby aforesaid one other Watch one other Watch chain and
one other watch key the goods and chattels of the said John Hart.
Sentence. The said Isaac Burnand to be transported to foreign parts beyond
the seas for the term of ten years.

PLEADS GUILTY

Thomas Burnand the younger late of the same place (Northallerton in the
North Riding of the County of York) for feloniously receiving and having on the
twenty fifth day of February at the Township of Whitby ……the goods and
chattels above-mentioned (two watches, two watch chains and two keys) …..well
knowing the same to have been feloniously stolen.
Sentence. The said Thomas Burnand to be transported for the space of seven
years.

Isaac Burnand was initially received at the “Euryalus” Hulk, moored at Portsmouth Harbour, as part of the standard interim holding arrangements, and then on 20/05/1839 transferred to Parkhurst Prison. His Gaoler’s Report on admission to the Prison stated he was ‘Poor & destitute, turned out by parents’, and confirmed that he was single and could neither read nor write. He was then aged 12 and had been employed as an Errand Boy. He was discharged from Parkhurst Prison on 31/05/1842 in readiness for transportation to New Zealand as an Apprentice, trained as a Tailor.(iii)

He eventually sailed aboard the “St. George” on 03/06/1842 from Portsmouth Harbour and disembarked at Auckland in New Zealand on 25/11/1842 (NB: His brother, Thomas, was transported alongside him).(iv) Very quickly Isaac Burnand is placed in employment according to the Harbour Master and Immigration Agent in Auckland, David Rough, who became Guardian of the 92 “Parkhurst Boys (as they were now called). In his “List of Apprentices from Parkhurst 29th December 1842” prepared for the Colonial Secretary, he confirms:(v)

Names of Boys:	Isaac Burnand
Names of Masters:	Surveyor’s Department
Employment of the Boys:	Tent Keeper
Date of Indenture:	December 1st
Terms of Apprenticeship:	3 years
Remuneration:	1st year £2, 2nd year £3, 3rd year £6
Residence:	No detail entered

However, in a letter from the Surveyor General’s Office in Auckland dated 29/04/1843 (vi) a note in the margin explains that Isaac Burnand was ‘lately transferred to Mr Rough’. This is confirmed by the Guardian in his “Return for the Half year ending the 30th June 1843 for apprentices whose conduct has been satisfactory” (vii) where Isaac Burnand is now recorded as being employed as a General Servant in the “Vicinity of Auckland” by a Mr O’Meally.

There is then an interval of some 5 years before further information emerges, although by this time Isaac Burnand appears to have changed his name to “George Isaac Burnand”. He married Harriet Cooper, born in Cheshire c1834, at St Pauls, Auckland, in 1848. She had arrived in Auckland with her family aboard the “Union” on 24/03/1843. The couple were to have 7 children:

(1) George Ernest born 15/02/1850;
(2) Alfred Thomas born 15/04/1852;
(3) Louisa Harriet born 15/09/1853;
(4) William Cooper 1855 and died as an infant;
(5) David Sampson 1856 and died on 6th September of that year;
(6) Walter Edward born 10/07/1857; and
(7) William David 1858

The Birth Certificate for George Ernest describes his father’s occupation as Boatsman, but the remaining Certificates show Shoemaker. It appears that the couple separated in 1859 when Harriet’s eighth child, Katherine, was born, the father apparently being a Benjamin Green. Harriet lived with Benjamin Green until her death on 06/09/1897 and the couple were to raise another 7 children.

From 1859 onwards George Isaac Burnand’s life is somewhat complicated.

He probably lived with a Jane Watts for some period of time in the 1860’s, but confusion arises from an “Intention to Marry”, probably issued on 14/01/1867, indicating George Isaac Burnand, a Widower, aged 38, and Bootmaker of West Queen Street, will marry Emily Emmerlind Chitley, Spinster, aged 26, also of West Queen Street. However, no marriage took place, either because Emily discovered he was still married to Harriet or became aware of the fact that Jane Watts was pregnant and who actually gave birth to Ellen Louisa Lane Burnand on 21/06/1867, just 5 months later. When Ellen Louisa marries she names George Isaac Burnand as her father and Jane nee Moore (married name Watts?) as her mother.

Equally confusing are the remaining years of George Isaac Burnand’s life.

On 04/07/1889 he is declared bankrupt, probably in connection with his bootmaker business, and by 1896 he and Jane are unable to support themselves having made Applications for Relief to the Auckland Hospital Charitable Aid Board. On 22/02/1897 he is admitted to Auckland Hospital with “Epithelioma of Tongue” and discharged on 08/03/1897. A year later between 18th March and 13th April his name appears in the All Saints Anglican Church Burial Book, except there is no exact date of death and all other relevant sources have proved negative in trying to confirm the death. Jane was to die 12 years afterwards on 09/02/1910 aged 70 years at the Costley Home, Epsom in Auckland.(viii)

There are no other details of his life in New Zealand, except Verna Mossong writing in “The NZ Genealogist” (ix) does confirm that he married a Harriet Cooper (no dates etc.) and added that it is believed he was a principal in the firm Ellis & Burnand, with saw mills at Otorohanga, and a sash and joinery factory at Hamilton. This information appears incorrect as the Burnand referred to in that partnership was John Henry Davis Burnand, who emigrated to New Zealand in 1853 as a 3 year old with his family.(x)

Comment: There are no recorded instances of George Isaac Burnand
re-offending and it can be assumed that he was successfully
absorbed into colonial society as a free citizen.

Notes:

(i): Information provided by Pauline Wilson whose husband, Reginald Noel, is the
Great Great Grandson of Isaac Burnand.

(ii): Ibid (Trial details obtained from the Northallerton County Archivist on
19/12/1979.)

(iii): Parkhurst Prison Register, The National Archives, HO24/15, p.5.

(iv): Paul Buddee, Fate of the Artful Dodger: Parkhurst Boys Transported to
Australia and New Zealand 1842 – 1852, St. George Books, Perth, Western
Australia (1984), pp. 165, 167. See also: The website Convicts to Australia
at reference http://members.iinet.net.au/~perthdps/convicts/park1.html which
deals with the voyage of the St. George to New Zealand.

(v): Internal Affairs, Series I, Archives New Zealand, 43/274.

(vi): ANZ, 43/827.

(vii): ANZ, 44/871.

(viii): Pauline Wilson.

(ix): The NZ Genealogist, Sept/Oct 1992, p.319.

(x): Dictionary of New Zealand Biography, entry for John Henry Davis Burnand at
http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/biographies/b?page=14

Acknowledgement: I am extremely indebted to Pauline Wilson, whose
husband is the Great Great Grandson of
Isaac Burnand for family history and
criminal proceedings details. Her help has been
invaluable in completing this Biography.

Endnote: The most enigmatic feature about the relationship between the two
brothers is the almost mirror image of their lives up until Isaac left
the Surveyor General’s Office in Auckland shortly into 1843 and
from that point onwards there appears to be no contact whatsoever.
The only recognition may that Isaac’s second child has “Thomas”
aas a Christian name.

BURNAND, Thomas

Convicted: orthallerton Easter Quarter Sessions
Date: 04/04/1839
Age: 13
Occupation: Errand Boy
Offence: Receiving two watches, two watch chains and two keys, knowing
the same to have been feloniously stolen.
Sentence: Transported for 7 years
Classification: Success (provisional)

Thomas Burnand was born at Whitby, North Yorkshire, on 15/02/1826, the eldest son of Thomas and Elizabeth Burnand and brother to Isaac.(i)

NNothing is known of his childhood and early life until he was committed to appear at the Northallerton Easter Quarter on 08/04/1839 accused of receiving two watches, two watch chains and two keys, knowing the same to have been feloniously stolen, to which he pleaded guilty and was sentenced to transportation for 7 years. He was tried alongside his brother, Isaac, who was accused of feloniously stealing these articles. A transcript of the trial proceedings is reproduced below:(ii)

PLEADS GUILTY

Thomas urnand was initially received at the “Euryalus” Hulk, moored at Portsmouth Harbour, as part of the standard interim holding arrangements, and then on 20/05/1839 transferred to Parkhurst Prison. His Gaoler’s Report on admission to the Prison stated he was ‘Poor & destitute, turned out by parents’, and confirmed that he was single and could neither read nor write. He was then aged 14 and had been employed as an Errand Boy. He was discharged from Parkhurst Prison on 31/05/1842 in readiness for transportation to New Zealand as an Apprentice, trained as a Shoemaker.(iii)

HHe eventually sailed aboard the “St. George” on 03/06/1842 from Portsmouth Harbour and disembarked at Auckland in New Zealand on 25/11/1842 (NB: His brother, Isaac, was transported alongside him).(iv) Very quickly Thomas Burnand is placed in employment according to the Harbour Master and Immigration Agent in Auckland, David Rough, who became Guardian of the 92 “Parkhurst Boys (as they were now called). In his “List of Apprentices from Parkhurst 29th December 1842” prepared for the Colonial Secretary, he confirms:(v)

Names of Boys:	Thomas Burnand
Names of Masters:	Surveyor’s Department
Employment of the Boys:	Tent Keeper
Date of Indenture:	December 1st
Terms of Apprenticeship:	3 years
Remuneration:	1st year £2, 2nd year £3, 3rd year £6
Residence:	No detail posted

Confirmation that he remained employed by the Surveyor General’s Department was given on 29/04/1843 in a letter from the Department requesting “…what amount of gratuity will be allowed” to the named Parkhurst Boys, including Burnand, for accounting purposes.(vi) This was further substantiated by two returns submitted by David Rough:

(1) “Return of Apprentices attached to the different Departments of H.M. br> Colonial Government 18th May 1843”. This Return was
in answer to Surveyor General’s Department’s request immediately
above:(vii)

Department: Surveyor General
Names of Boys Thomas Burnand
AAges: 18

Periods of Servicebr> From date of arrival: 3 years
Amount of Gratuities: 1st year £2, 2nd year £3, 3rd year £6

(2) “Return for the Half year ending 30th June 1843 of apprentices whose
cconduct has been satisfactory”:(viii)

Names of Apprentices:	Thomas Burnand
Ages:	19
Occupation:	Tent Keeper
Where situated:	Surveyor General’s Department
Masters Names:	No details entered

There then follows a series of correspondence resulting in a free and unconditional pardon for Thomas Burnand in November 1844, a very rare occurrence in the early history of these Parkhurst Boys and it can only be imagined that the behaviour of the boys concerned was exemplary:

(A): The first is a letter from the Surveyor General’s Office dated 14/06/1844 and br> addressed to David Rough, the Guardian:(ix)

Sir,

I have the honor to bring before you, as Guardian of the
Government apprentices, the good conduct of three of them –
named in the margin (George Baker, William Hollis, Thomas
Burnand), who have been employed in this Department since
their arrival in the colony. During the whole of that time, they
have behaved themselves in every way deserving of encouragement
and I have therefore to request that you will have the goodness to
make application to his Excellency the Governor for a pardon of
the remainder of their sentences.

I have the honor etc.

(1) David Rough on the 17/06/1844 forwarded this letter to the Colonial
Secretary:(x)

Sir,

It is with much pleasure I have the honor to enclose to you
to be submitted to His Excellency The Surveyor General’s
recommendation of Three Apprentices who have been attached
to His Department since the 1st December 1842; and whose conduct
has been satisfactory.
I also beg ……….

I have the honor etc.
-4-

In the margin of this letter there is a comment, which is not completely
decipherable, and possibly may have been made by the Colonial Secretary,
that reads “………….. lads should be set at liberty accordingly as a
reward for their good conduct and an encouragement to others.”

(2) The final piece of correspondence in the series confirms that free pardons
have been granted and, although no actual Parkhurst Boy is mentioned, the
wording of the letter is sufficient to confirm that Thomas Burnand was
being referred to. The letter, written by David Rough and dated
14/120/1844, is addressed to the Colonial Secretary for attention by the
Colonial Treasurer:(xi)

Sir,
His Excellency having been pleased to grant a free pardon to
Two of the Apprentices in the Harbour Master’s Department and
Three in the Department of the Surveyor General, I beg leave to
request that the Colonial Treasurer may be directed to pay their
Gratuities (but not the Clothing Allowance) due to them up to the
end of this year, as the Boys actually joined these Departments in
October 1842, and have been two complete years in the service,
although they were not placed on the Schedules until the 1st of
January 1843.

I am, Sir etc

Despite extensive research, especially in colonial newspapers from both New Zealand and Australia, no other details for Thomas Burnand have been retrieved.

Comment: The behaviour of Thomas Burnand appears to have been
exemplary and, although no continuing life history is available
following his pardon, it can be provisionally assumed that he
was absorbed into colonial society as a free citizen.

Notes:

(i): Information provided by Pauline Wilson whose husband, Reginald Noel, is the
Great Great Grandson of Isaac Burnand, the younger brother of Thomas
Burnand (See above).

(ii): Ibid (Trial details obtained from the Northallerton County Archivist on
19/12/1979.)

(iii): Parkhurst Prison Register, The National Archives, HO24/15, p.5.

(v): Internal Affairs, Series I, Archives New Zealand, 43/274.

(vi): ANZ, 43/827.

(vii): ANZ, 43/1065.

(viii): ANZ, 44/871.

(ix): ANZ, 44/2401.

(x): ANZ, 44/1371.

((xi): ANZ, 44/2143.

Acknowledgement: I am extremely indebted to Pauline Wilson, whose
husband is the Great Great Grandson of Thomas
Burnand’s brother, Isaac, for family history and
criminal proceedings details. Her help has been
invaluable in completing this Biography.

From: Lynne
To: Tony and Jan
Subject: Parkhurst Boys

Hi Tony and Jan

Thank you so much for writing and attaching copies of Thomas and Isaac’s bios.
I know Pauline Wilson very well, her husband Reg, is my cousin once removed. Reg’s grandmother Ada was my father’s sister. She was the one who started the family history and got Pauline interested. Pauline took over when Aunt Ada died and Pauline and I’ve collaborated on and off ever since.

I’ll fill in the details that I have.

• “Poor & Destitute, turned out by parents” – When the boys were convicted in 1839 their mother had died 3 months after the birth of her daughter Ann in October 1835. All previous children between Isaac and Ann had died. Ann was brought up by her Aunt Margaret, sister of Elizabeth Miller. The boys would have been 8 and 9 years old.

• There is every probability that Thomas, the father, married again as there are 2 Thomas Burnand marriages in Whitby 1837 and 1846. I haven’t followed up either of these. Thomas Snr died 21 July 1879 in the Union Workhouse in Whitby. There is also a Thomas Burnand in Stokelsey in the 1841 Census

• Thomas, the brother, was baptized in St Marys Church, Whitby as Thomas Miller, born before parents married.

• There are quite a few Thomas’ in the family including my father, William Thomas and my brother Trevor Thomas.

• Benjamin Twiggs Green was sponsor for several of George Isaac and Harriet’s children when baptized in St Matthew in the City, Auckland, NZ.

• Not sure if you are aware of “Papers Past” a project by the National Library of NZ to digitize all of the newspapers in NZ. There are more than one million pages of digitized NZ newspapers and periodicals. The collection covers the years 1839-1945 and includes 61 publications from all regions of NZ. This collection is free to access.

• I’ve found some things about George Isaac that will be of interest to you. I’ve attached copies for you. There are also lots of advertisements for George Isaac and his shoe business.

• Be aware that if you are looking at this collection there are 3 George Isaacs in the family. The George Isaac in the Gisborne, Bay of Plenty is David William’s son. (GI’s grandson). The other George Isaac is my uncle, my father’s oldest brother, son of Walter Edward the penultimate son of the original George Isaac.

• GI must have been fairly well off, at some stage, as when he lost his purse he had quite a considerable amount of money/valuables in it.

• Thomas – an enigma. I was wondering if:-
— He had an accident while being a Tent Keeper with the Surveyors Department; NZ was pretty rugged in 1843 and his death wasn’t recorded for some reason.
— The Parkhurst Boys had a pretty hard time and maybe he reverted to his baptized name of Thomas Miller.
— That he may have returned to the UK or gone to Australia there are Burnand’s in Australia.

• You’ve told me more than I knew about him. I have read some of the Colonial Secretary’s Correspondence, on film, regarding the Return of Apprentices but wasn’t aware that Thomas had been pardoned in November 1844. Is there a pardon document at TNA?

• Also I wasn’t aware that Isaac was a General Servant in the “Vicinity of Auckland” by a Mr O’Meally.

• The Wises street directories give Isaac as GI, GT, George Isaac, Isaac and the surname is spelt with one ‘n’ or ‘nn’ in the middle. We ended up with ‘nn’ in our name, my cousin dropped one of the ‘n’.

• The sextant’s records at Purewa Cemetery have Harriet Green’s death as Green crossed out and Burnand written in.

• The youngest child, William David was born 15 September 1858 and GI had placed a newspaper ad disowning Harriet on 31 March 1859, William David would have been 6 months old and my grandfather would have been about 20mths old.

• Jane was supposedly his housekeeper and probably brought up all of his children, as on some of the births of his grandchildren she was the informant with the title of grandmother. I expect the younger children would never have known Harriet. As far as I’m aware he was still living with Jane when he died.

• Emily Emmerline Chitley – Well what can I say, he wasn’t divorced, his housekeep was pregnant and here he was in the “Intentions to Marry”. I must say when I was going through the card index at National Archives I went into great gales of laughter. I haven’t followed up Emily to see if and whom she marries.

• Somewhere along the line Jane took on a baby, Ada, not sure who she belonged to but she is mentioned in the Costly records and Howick School records. Not sure what happened to her but Jane was unable to look after her and she applied for Relief.

• The Ellis and Burnand info is definitely wrong, a totally different Burnand family (there are only 2 Burnand families in NZ). In the Alexander Turnbull Library there are the Burnand Papers. Journals from the New Zealand Company with annotations in the margins re the land values by his father John Henry Burnand. I think he died and his wife Harriet remarried Henry Handysides in Nelson and I think Harriet died in the United States. I looked into this so long ago I hope my memory is serving me well.

• There is so much wrong info about GI on the internet. Some people have GI dying so that Harriet could be married to Benjamin Green and their children legitimate, some people have Harriet dying so that GI and Jane are married and Louisa Lane Burnand is legitimate. I’ve tried to get some of it changed but it is so hard to disprove the written/published word, nobody seems to ‘site the source’ anymore they just take what is published on the Internet as gospel.

I must apologise for having taken so long to get back to you. Can you tell me if there is a pardon document for George Isaac and if so what would be TNA reference? Also is there one for Thomas or would that be here in NZ. I will be in the UK in May and will be staying with a friend in Hampshire and I hope to go to TNA.

I personally think that Thomas must have died and not recorded. I find it a big a coincidence that he was pardoned and approx the same time Isaac left the Surveyor’s Department. Something dramatic/traumatic happened then. I wonder if there are any Surveyor Department’s records at the Alexander Turnbull Library?? I might drop them an e-mail. igar would have been the Surveyor-General. He came to NZ via Cape Town South Africa. The boat the surveyor’s party was on, the Prince Rupert, floundered and sank at the Cape and the surveyor’s party came to NZ in the Antilla in December 1841 along with my maternal ancestors, Thomas and Charlotte Gleeson and their son Frederick.

There is a photo in the Auckland Museum Library of the 50 year Jubilee of Old Colonists with a clear overlay with names on half of it unfortunately GI isn’t named.

Again thank you so much for your info and if I find out anything else I’ll let you know.

KKind regards

Lynne Revell (nee Burnnand)

From: Nicola
To: Jan
Subject: Parkhurst boys – John Lynch

Hi Jan,

In the course of researching my Lynch ancestors and the possibility that one of the “Parkhurst Boys” John Lynch may be a relative I was googling away and stumbled across your website. I came across the thread regarding Tony from the UK who was researching the boys and wondered if I may possibly have his email address. There is no date on the emails on your site – are they recent or from some time ago?
And apologies for me being so cheeky to email you out of the blue but we family historians get a bit desperate sometimes with all the dead ends and are willing to try anything!!
Many thanks
Nicola Bell
Tauranga
Kind Regards
Nicola

From: Jan
To: Nicola
Subject: Parkhurst boys – John Lynch

Hi Nicola,

Its fine you emailing me out of the blue. Most of the emails I get are, and can lead to, quite interesting little sidelines. And part of the reason I have put these threads from different people on the website is in hope that people such as you might see them and add a little more information so that a more complete picture emerges about that time and those people.

I think Tony will be quite happy to help you, but he does like you to share information with him as well him giving you some of the information he has to help his study out too.

He has done a huge amount of research about the boys’ lives and trials etc in England and I think he would really appreciate any information that you can share about the John’s life after he came to New Zealand.

The Parkhurst Boys were not something I was even aware of until a couple of years ago when it first surfaced with a link to the Firth Family enquiry – and it has expanded a little since then – but it would be great to know more.
So if you feel comfortable sharing some information on the website it would be great too.

I’ll forward this email on and hopefully he’ll get back to you soon.

🙂 Jan

From: Tony C
To: Jan
Subject: Parkhurst boys – John Lynch

Hello Jan,

I hope you are keeping well……………..all eyes are on NZ for the coming month with the Rugby World Cup. I notice, with some sense of trepidation, that the Welsh arrived in Wellington this morning with their NZ Coach, Warren Gatland!!!

Thank you for responding to Nicola. I am extremely grateful. Certainly there was a John LYNCH transported to Auckland aboard the “Mandarin” in November 1843 as a “Free Immigrant”, that is, Parkhurst Prison felt that at his age (19) he could be trusted to make his own way, possibly as a Carpenter, without the constant supervision required had he been an “Apprentice”. And that is where his NZ life ends from my research!!
He had originally been tried at the Central Criminal Court (Old Bailey) in London alongside his co-defendant George Pearson, who was also transported on the “Mandarin”, but he disembarked as more or less an ordinary convict at Hobart before the ship sailed on to Auckland, presumably because his behaviour at Parkhurst Prison had been sub-standard.

I hope there is a connection for, as you know, researching the 123 Parkhurst Boys sent to NZ has been one of my most difficult tasks with little reward.

For the moment,

Tony

From: Jan
To: Tony C
Subject: Parkhurst boys – John Lynch

Hi Tony,
Yes… the rugby world cup is getting a lot of hype here – but NZer’s tend to quite like the Welsh. We see them as a great rugby nation – a bit like ours. So I think we have a bit more of a soft spot for them than maybe England. And Warren Gatland isn’t seen as a bad guy for coaching another country – just as John Kirwan (another great ex All Black) isn’t seen as a bad guy for coaching Japan. In fact I think a few NZers have a soft spot for Japan too – because they’re seen as underdogs and we always like backing underdogs.
If it was Australia you were talking about, or South Africa – well that’s another story.
Every night we have been treated to the great countdown to world cup and it gets a bit tiring. Sooner its over and done with the better.

Anyway I don’t know if Nicola has contacted you yet but she flicked me a quick email not long after I answered hers. So I’ll send you a copy just in case she hasn’t. It seems she’s not 100% sure whether John Lynch is an ancestor of hers – but reading what she has written it seems like it could be a good guess – since her great great grandmother was born in the same general area as where John worked – and I wouldn’t think that there would be a huge number of people around that sparsely populated area at that time with the same surname. So maybe he is?

Anyway here’s her email….
🙂 Jan

From: Nicola
To: Jan
Subject: Parkhurst boys – John Lynch

Hi Jan

Thanks for your email so promptly! I am happy for you to add my emails to the thread and to forward any info I have onto Tony. The only thing is, I am clutching at straws at the moment so it is only a small chance that this John Lynch is even connected at all to my family and I don’t have any information that I can definitely say is about him although I have come across a few John Lynch’s in my travels. I am researching my great great grandmother Bridget Lynch who was (according to her death certificate) born near Coromandel in 1852. I have the name of a female relative Jane Margaret Lynch who was the witness at her wedding to William Henry Marshall in 1873 in Auckland but nothing really prior to that. My searching has lead me to investigate every Lynch family I can find in the greater Auckland area in the 1840’s – 1870’s but have had no definite leads so far. Because this John Lynch was listed as a carpenter, and the place (Kikowhakarere) where I think Bridget was born was a sawmilling and shipbuilding spot at the time of her birth, I thought there was a wee chance John Lynch may have turned out to be her father. I also have a mystery word on her death certificate where her fathers name should be. I have had a heap of people look at it but nobody can make it out for sure. At a stretch it could be “prison” but I think it unlikely. Anyway if we can help each other at all it would be great.

Thanks again.

Cheers
Nicola

From: Jan
To: Nicola
Subject: Parkhurst boys – John Lynch

Hi Nicola,

That does sound intriguing. I wonder if John Lynch is the next link? He could be – but its tricky if the official records are incomplete. I hope you do find some clues because it would be very interesting to find out.

Have you and Tony made contact yet? I know that if John Lynch is your ancestor he would love to find out what happened to him – he’s been writing a thesis about these boys and what became of them after they left England. He has lots of information about their lives and trials before they left England – but is finding out what happened to these boys who were sent to the other side of the world for crimes which we, now-a-days, would think are pretty insignificant.
It would be great if you could pass on any info you find out both to him and me.

You never know someone out there might read it and know the answer?

Anyway happy ancestor hunting
Jan

From: Nicola
To: Jan
Subject: Parkhurst boys – John Lynch

Hi Jan

I haven’t heard from Tony directly yet but thank you for passing on my message. I did read the reply that he sent to you that you cc’d though and it doesnt sound like he knows too much about him after he arrived in NZ though so I won’t hold out much hope. For all we know he could have changed his name which would make life a heck of a lot more difficult than it already is. Also there is the possibility that he intermarried with a Maori woman which is also difficult as the maori births, deaths and marriages records seem to have started much later. I did however find one report on the paperspast website of a John Lynch (“half-caste” the papers words not mine) who was killed in a treefelling incident in the Coromandel in 1896. He was only 35 so too young to be the correct John Lynch but may have been a son. Another long shot as by the 1890’s there were so many more people around with that surname. Anyway back to the drawing board!

Thanks again
Nicola

From: Sidney
To: Jan
Subject: Parkhurst boys – Henry Patterson

Hello Jan
I live in England and I came across your site which I found very interesting especially as there was a mention from a Tony C who was doing some research into the Parkhurst boys.

My great great grandfathers brother by the name of Henry Patterson was charged at Yarmouth quarter sessions in 1842 when he was14 years old with stealing a pair of boots. He was given 7 years and sent to Millbank prison in London, and later sent to Parkhurst prison on the Isle of Wight.
He was subsequently transported to Australia in 1847 on the Sir Thomas Arbuthnot, and it would appear he never saw his family again.
He was trained as a cooper and a brick maker, he married a girl named Ann Sloan, they had 8 children, and he was to die at only 38years old from acute hepatitis.

I have some details about him but I would be so very grateful if you could kindly forward my e-mail address to Tony, as I believe he may be able to help me further regarding the prison registers etc, and I am hoping that a prison photograph may be available of him. I also believe that the ships surgeon kept a journal or log on the journey to Australia and this may also yield further information.

Hoping to hear from you.

Best wishes
Sid

From: Jan
To: Sidney
Subject: Parkhurst boys – Henry Patterson

Hi Sid,

I’m sure Tony will be happy to help you as he seems to have a mine of information about the boys from Parkhurst and their lives before they were sent away from England (I don’t know if he has any photos though) – but I am sure that if you can share information with him any details about your great great grandfather after he left England he would be very grateful. His study is trying to find out what happened to these boys after they left Parkhurst and he has found it difficult to track down information. It would be interesting to know whether a fresh start in a new country helped or hindered these boys.

I didn’t know that some of the Parkhurst Boys ended up in Australia, I thought they mostly came over to New Zealand. But then I am no authority about these boys. I didn’t even know anything about them until I had an email enquiry like yours. It is extremely interesting finding out a bit about these boys who were sent so far away for crimes which seem fairly minor.

If you don’t mind I will add your enquiry to the Parkhurst Boys entry on the waipawa.com website and maybe someone else may see it and be able to help out too?
Anyway Tony’s email address is (email address supplied)

🙂 Jan

From: Sidney
To: Jan
Subject: Parkhurst boys – Henry Patterson

Good evening Jan
I just thought that I would check my e-mails before I went off to bed, and it was a very pleasant surprise to receive yours. I never dreamt that I would have received such a quick response such as this and I am most sincerely grateful to you for all your kindness and help.
I only stumbled across your site by accident and I have found it to be quite fascinating, and now that I have found it I will keep an eye on it.

I certainly don’t mind you adding my query to your site in fact I am very humbled that you have found it to be interesting. If it should be of interest I will send you some further interesting details about Henry my ancestor Parkhurst boy and his family.

By the way New Zealand has always been a place that I have wished to visit. I very nearly got there when my youngest son Kristopher was serving in the Royal Navy and he met a girl from Christchurch, but that is another story for the family album.

Many thanks again for all your help I will contact Tony and if you have time and if the above should be of interest please let me know and I will send all the info over to you.

Best wishes
Sid

From: Jan
To: Sidney
Subject: Parkhurst boys – Henry Patterson

Hi Sid,
I suppose you can put the fast response down to the fact that we live on the opposite sides of the world so you sent your email at the right time that I received it when I check my emails in the morning before I went off to school. If it had arrived later than that you probably wouldn’t have got a response til the next morning because I get home from school at lunchtime, have lunch, get into some old clothes and then go out to carve on my stone. I have 3 sculpture exhibitions I’m carving for – so afternoons are fairly busy at the moment (even with a bung knee – I tore the cartilidge in it) and by the time I come in for the evening I’m pretty exhausted (and sore) and I’m quite happy just to blob out in front of the TV.

I really do enjoy learning all this new stuff though. History is fascinating – especially when its real people, not just places and dates. I hope Tony makes contact and can help you and it will be really great if you can send a little info about Henry both to him and to me. I think my website becomes more interesting when people share their stories and photos – and it means other people might share their informations too.
I know Tony has found it a bit frustrating when he hands over some of his research to people and they give him nothing in return. He has collected a huge amount of information about the court trials etc – and it seems only fair for people to give him some info in return.

Anyway let me know how it turns out.

🙂 Jan

From: Sidney
To: Jan
Subject: Parkhurst boys – Henry Patterson

Good evening Jan
Well that is what it is here. To be honest i never gave the time zone a thought when i sent you the email i just thought well i will send this to the Lady and hope that she may be able to help me. It was lovely to hear from you and i have emailed Tony and hopefully he will reply.
I will indeed put an article together for your web site as i have a lot of information on my family which i believe you may find interesting. I do however find you a bit of a bionic woman what with putting in a hard days work, then coming home and throwing all that stone about please dont be offended i am only kidding as i do admire your talent and i did notice you in one of the photos standing proudly in front of one of your masterpieces you are a very clever girl.

I find it uncanny that i stumbled across your web site as i am sitting on information here that concerns events in your countrys history. Since you enjoy history i believe you may find the following very fascinating. I have in my possession original articles and original photos of officers and men of my local County Regiment the Durham Light Infantry ( The 68th Foot ).

I was born in County Durham and i have had a lifetimes interest in the history of the Regiment which was regretably disbanded in 1968. They were involved in some very famous actions being the Maori War in Newzealand during 1864-1866. This is an extension of my family tree hobby and i am also a member of a local military historical research society. We meet in Durham City once a month and members are encouraged to give presentations on their chosen subjects. I do not want to sound big headed but i have been very fortunate to have been awarded the annual trophy that is awarded each year for the best presentation 3 times against some very fine presentations.

I have a lot of research on these men and their service in your country during the war and if you feel that you would like to go down this avenue as it is something different and it concerns your countrys history please let me know and i will be more than happy to help out.

I will keep in touch Jan
Best wishes
Sid

( PS please keep chipping away at that stone of yours and please take care of yourself and try to avoid having anymore accidents )

From: Tony
To: Jan
Subject: Parkhurst boys – 2 enquiries

Hello Jan,

Rather like London buses, none for hours then two come along at the same time although, sadly, Nicola Bell has not contacted me.

Another sadness over the weekend………the miserable loss to South Africa and the atrocious refereeing of a certain Mr. Barnes (English too??) who has an inglorious World Cup history of making unforgivable mistakes (ask the Aussies). Ah well, at least you saw some decent rugby. More than can be said of England v Argentina!!!

Thank you for introducing me to Sid Patterson. However, I wrote a Biography for Henry PATTERSON more than 5 years ago and it needs serious updating to take account of new on-line facilities, such as newspaper reports. I will suggest to Sid that he links to the following:

http://shirley-elrick.com/p370.htm

A fair amount of the information on that site is “taken” from the manuscript I produced 5 years ago, but there is an invitation to contact the owner and it may be that she has more current details.

Thank you once again

For the moment

Tony

From: Jan
To: Tony
Subject: Parkhurst boys – John Lynch

Hi Tony,

It is strange that Nicola hasn’t contacted you. It seems a bit weird making that initial contact and then not following it through – but I suppose we can’t do anything about that.

I watched the South African vs Wales game too and was gob-smacked of the ref’s stupidity. And we New Zealanders know all about Mr Barnes too – as he was the ref who made an incorrect decision in the New Zealand vs France semi final last world cup (he missed a blatant forward pass) which caused New Zealand to lose and they shouldn’t have. New Zealanders tend to take rugby VERY seriously and we remember such things. I don’t know how that guy keeps reffing!
It would have been hilarious if South Africa had lost – as they’re so up themselves. (and actually despite the official score we all know that they did lose because that Welsh kick WAS over)

I actually thought Argentina played very well against England – but its not exactly the style of rugby we’re used to. Too much stop and start – reminds me more of rugby league than rugby union. Its much more exciting when there’s more running of the ball which is what the All Blacks like playing.

And Japan played well too against France for the first half anyway. I was really cheering for them because Japan isn’t known for their rugby. And of course they have a great past All Black as a coach so they’re almost New Zealanders! (not really, but we always cheer for the underdogs)

Now I sound like I really do nothing but watch rugby – but its not me so much as my husband. when he’s not watching it he’s listening to it on the radio – absolutely obsessed!

Anyway enough talk about rugby (you can’t get away from it around here) Thanks so much for your information on the Parkhurst Boys. Its really funny how more people suddenly pop up out of the blue when its been quiet for ages. I wonder how many more will come along?
I hope Sid has been able to provide you with some info from his end too.

Anyway I’d better get off to school – I’m running a bit late again.

🙂 Jan

From: Nicola
To: Tony
Subject: Parkhurst boys – John Lynch

Hi Tony

Sorry for not contacting you earlier. I was waiting to hear from you regarding John Lynch and then realised that one of the emails I thought I received from Jan was actually from you. I’m afraid I don’t have any definite information on John Lynch but have just been trying to research the possibility he may be my ancestor. I got my hopes up today as I have been communicating with a lady from Auckland who is descended from a John Lynch who was the government gardener in Auckland in the 1840’s. I have emailed her today to ask if her John Lynch is the “Parkhurst” John Lynch. However I am starting to think it unlikely as hers definitely features in the Auckland police census of 1842 and the Parkhurst John Lynch didnt arrive in Auckland until 1843. So it sounds like I am back to square one. I guess it is also a possibility the Parkhurst John Lynch may have changed his name.
I have sent away to NZ Society of Genealogists for a printout of the birth death and marriage certificates they hold for the surname Lynch. Once I get the printout I will send away for copies of any that might be relevant to my search so I will let you know if anything comes to light from them.
Sorry I can’t be of more help at the moment!

Kind Regards
Nicola Bell

From: Tony
To: Nicola
Subject: Parkhurst boys – John Lynch

Hello Nicola,

Thank you for updating me on your serach for John LYNCH.

The major difficulty from my end is that the earliest England Census will be 1841 at which time he was in Parkhurst Prison and the information from the entry will be minimal. Certainly there will be no details of his parents to give comparisons. Similarly his trial has no family information. However, if you do manage to obtain Marriage/Death Certificates and these contain the appropriate parentage then it may be possible that the IGI link through www.familysearch.org could prove positive.

I think it is my bedtime now as tomorrow is an early rise at 04:15 to watch Wales v Samoa!!!!!

For the time being

Tony

From: Nicola
To: Tony
Subject: Parkhurst boys – John Lynch

Hi Tony,

Congratulations to your team! We were disappointed that South Africa beat them but this win should make up for it abit. We were all pretty excited about Ireland beating Australia too.
I will let you know if I find out anything else that may help you. I am sending off to NZSG for copies of some of their certs but as they require snailmail and you can only request 6 certs each time it may take a while.

Kind Regards
Nicola Bell

From: Sue
To: Jan
Subject: “The Parkhurst Boys”

Hi Jan,

Came across your site and so kool, I have been researching my ggg grandfather for a very long time. His name is John Minhinnick, he arrived on the st george, “ A Parkhurst Boy” He married my ggg grandmother of Taranaki and I have put together our family tree, from my ggg grandfather John Minhinnick to my grandchildren.
What I am trying to find now is his parents, hard job , long job….spent many nights up searching and researching in between my job…but, I love it. In my research I keep coming back to his parents being Henry Minhinnick and Hannah Rowe of Tavistock, Devonshire, England. Needs to be comfirmed with birth certificate
I just wanted to share that with you, John Minhinnick family tree is huge in new zealand, He made it….

Have a great day Jan

Sue

From: Jan
To: Sue
Subject: “The Parkhurst Boys”

Wow Sue!
Its great to hear from you…. and to hear that a Parkhurst boy overcame his tough start and became something successful.

As you might have read on the website Tony, who has been trying to track down what became of the Parkhurst Boys would love to hear from you. He has a lot of information about some of the court cases, home backgrounds, etc of the boys – so he might be able to help you too?
I hope you don’t mind if I forward your email to him and maybe you two could compare notes. I’d love to include some of his story on the website too if you don’t mind sharing it?

Thanks again for emailing
🙂 Jan

From: Sue
To: Jan
Subject: “The Parkhurst Boys”

Hi Jan,
No, I don’t mind at all. It would be great if Tony could help me….can’t wait. And yes put it on your website.

Happy to meet you
Sue